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The Classes of Death: Socio-economic mortality differentials in Swedish cities during the harvest failure of 1771-72

Andersson, Tommy LU (2024) EKHS01 20241
Department of Economic History
Abstract
This thesis explores the possibility of a socio-economic gradient in mortality during short-term economic stress in pre-industrial Swedish cities using the harvest failure in 1771-72 as an example of economic fluctuations/high prices. Using newly transcribed data in a logit model, the study finds results indicating that the poor and individuals in occupations categorized as “service and agriculture”, for example maids and guards, faced a higher risk of mortality during short-term economic stress than individuals with higher status, relative to the difference in risk between the groups during the base period 1768-70. The poor, being the most vulnerable, faced the highest relative risk in the year of high prices. For those in service and... (More)
This thesis explores the possibility of a socio-economic gradient in mortality during short-term economic stress in pre-industrial Swedish cities using the harvest failure in 1771-72 as an example of economic fluctuations/high prices. Using newly transcribed data in a logit model, the study finds results indicating that the poor and individuals in occupations categorized as “service and agriculture”, for example maids and guards, faced a higher risk of mortality during short-term economic stress than individuals with higher status, relative to the difference in risk between the groups during the base period 1768-70. The poor, being the most vulnerable, faced the highest relative risk in the year of high prices. For those in service and agriculture the response was delayed, reaching its highest value in the year after a year of high prices. Differences in timing likely represent effects of malnutrition and supports the hypotheses of a discriminatory mortality response. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Andersson, Tommy LU
supervisor
organization
course
EKHS01 20241
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
short-term economic stress, high prices, harvest failure, Sweden, 18th century, mortality, socio-economic status
language
English
id
9168954
date added to LUP
2024-07-03 07:06:33
date last changed
2024-07-03 07:06:33
@misc{9168954,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores the possibility of a socio-economic gradient in mortality during short-term economic stress in pre-industrial Swedish cities using the harvest failure in 1771-72 as an example of economic fluctuations/high prices. Using newly transcribed data in a logit model, the study finds results indicating that the poor and individuals in occupations categorized as “service and agriculture”, for example maids and guards, faced a higher risk of mortality during short-term economic stress than individuals with higher status, relative to the difference in risk between the groups during the base period 1768-70. The poor, being the most vulnerable, faced the highest relative risk in the year of high prices. For those in service and agriculture the response was delayed, reaching its highest value in the year after a year of high prices. Differences in timing likely represent effects of malnutrition and supports the hypotheses of a discriminatory mortality response.}},
  author       = {{Andersson, Tommy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Classes of Death: Socio-economic mortality differentials in Swedish cities during the harvest failure of 1771-72}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}